PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Maxwell Booker (ranked 1959 p4p, 216 weight class) and Matias Orava (ranked 2862 p4p, 292 weight class). Maxwell Booker has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Booker
vs
Orava

168 cm
26
155 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

172 cm
26
160 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Transform Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Maxwell Booker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Matias Orava!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Bart Greer and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Orava scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Booker takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Booker tries to move into range but Orava moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Booker takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Booker walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Booker definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Orava scores with a crisp jab that stopped Booker in his tracks.
Orava fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Booker fails with a takedown attempt.
Orava scores with a punch to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Booker is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The crowd cheers as Orava lands an impressive looking overhand right. Booker doesn't seem phased though.
Orava wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Orava lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Orava displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Orava slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Orava connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Orava lands with an overhand left.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Orava lands with a straight right. Booker didn't see that one coming.
Orava thuds a left hand into Booker's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Orava lands a nice shot that snaps Booker's head back.
Orava connects with a crisp jab.
Orava works the jab nicely.
Orava feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Bookers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Orava dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Orava scores with a decent looking hook.
Booker takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Booker with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Orava to score with a decent uppercut.
Nice shot by Orava.
Orava has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Booker is landing a low percentage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orava connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Horrible takedown attempt by Booker or perhaps it was just good defense by Orava, which made it look bad.
Booker takes a shot right to the bread basket.
The fighters circle momentarily. Orava darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Booker walks into a left hand.
Booker gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The fighters circle momentarily. Orava darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Booker closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Booker looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Orava scores with a jab to the head.
Booker takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Orava lunges at Booker with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Booker's hand.
Orava scores with a jab.
Good shot there by Orava.
Orava lands a right hook to the body.
Matias Orava seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Booker ducks right into an uppercut from Orava.
Booker drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matias Orava dominated that round.
That's time! Booker's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Booker walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A punch lands to the side of Booker 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Orava throws a shot to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Booker is defended easily by Orava.
Booker on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Orava lands with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Booker takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Matias Orava seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Orava with a nice cross.
Orava defending well as Booker loads up on a big left hand.
Orava looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Booker moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Matias Orava is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Booker takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Booker looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Booker scoring with some ground and pound.
Orava pulls Booker in close to his closed guard and prevents Booker from doing any damage or advancing position.
Booker makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Booker postures up in Orava's guard and throws a big left but Orava blocks it.
Booker throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Orava working a defensive guard here.
Booker has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Booker's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Booker prevents Orava from getting back to his feet.
Booker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Orava is keeping the position for now.
Booker controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Orava has momentary wrist control but Booker slips an elbow through the middle.
Booker trying to control but Orava is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orava trying to keep a closed guard but Booker is proving a slippery customer.
Booker showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Orava avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Booker lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Orava looking to hit a scissor sweep but Booker is one step ahead there.
Booker is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Orava keeping moving, preventing Booker from controlling successfully.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Orava can do anything to dispel that myth.
Booker scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Booker landing some decent shots from guard.
Orava has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Orava not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Booker won't allow Orava to sweep him here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Orava wants to control but Booker passes easily into half guard.
Booker works his foot free and advances to mount.

Booker looking for a guillotine from mount but Orava is having none of it.
Orava can't escape the position.
Booker landing shots from mount.
Orava is working to get back to half guard.
Booker has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Orava's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxwell Booker dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Booker's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Orava connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Booker scrambles back to his feet.
Orava lands a lovely overhand right.
Orava with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Orava lands a nice hook to Booker's body. Booker takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Orava lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Orava lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Orava lands an overhand right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Orava lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Orava.
Orava thuds his right hand into Booker's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Orava scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orava lands a jab to the nose.
Orava lands a nice hook to Booker's body. Booker takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Orava cracks Booker with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Orava slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Orava lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Orava might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Nice defenses there by Orava.
Orava looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Orava scores with a body shot.
Orava lunges at Booker with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Booker's hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Orava with a jab.
Booker doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Orava counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice straight punches there by Orava. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Orava.
Orava jabs Booker to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Orava scores with a nice right hand.
Nice shot by Orava.
Booker shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Orava as he avoids it easily.
Booker walks into a stiff left hand from Orava.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orava slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Orava scores with a shot to the body.
A jab from Orava finds it's way through Booker's defenses.
Orava jabs Booker to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Orava lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Orava jabs at Booker's body.
Orava swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Booker counters with a takedown into side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Booker is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Orava is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Booker thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Booker working the ground and pound.
Booker moves into full mount!
Orava tries to hold on but Booker postures up.
Booker lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Orava hang on?
Booker working Orava over with strikes here.
Booker pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Booker avoids the attempt from Orava to control.
Booker lands a big shot there that rocks Orava but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matias Orava comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Orava has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:29
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 27:29
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matias Orava!
Matias Orava was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.